MONEY IN THE BANK — Fairmont’s Nevaeh Rahm (left) banks home a low-post basket over Worthington’s Ellie Weg (34) during Big South Conference action Tuesday night at Cardinal Gym in Fairmont. The Cardinals’ Olivia Ortega (back middle) looks on. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — Fairmont’s smothering defense and yeoman boardwork triggered a pair of pivotal scoring surges during the opening minutes of each 18-minute half of basketball on Tuesday night.

Brylee Miller produced a game-best double-double performance of 20 points and 13 rebounds, Grace Pendergast netted 13 points and Nevaeh Rahm neared a double-double to power the Fairmont Cardinals to a 60-45 Big South Conference triumph over the Worthington Trojans in Fairmont.

“Worthington had a definite height advantage over us at every position, but we were able to match their physicality and that was the difference,” said Fairmont head coach Sara Junkermeier, whose lineup actually outrebounded Worthington by a narrow 32-31 margin. “Our girls boxed out hard and played tough interior defense to set the tone early.”

Miller converted Ellie Ortega’s assist into a baseline leaning bank to trigger the Cardinals’ 9-0 run following both teams’ slow offensive start.

Ellie Ortega sank a solo free throw before Olivia Ortega tossed in a cutter off an assist from Hope Klanderud for a 7-2 Fairmont lead. Pendergast then swooshed a pull-up 12-footer in the lane before Rahm pocketed a steal and hit the low-post lay-in for an 11-2 lead.

Aisha Zeidi ended the Trojans’ scoring drought by banking home a low-post leaner, but the Cardinals countered from the perimeter as Kate Busche and Ava Terfehr each knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers for a 17-4 edge.

Newyouman Gora, who came off the bench to generate team-bests of 11 points and five steals, countered for the Trojans to eventually trim the visitors’ gap to 22-13 with 7 minutes left before intermission.

Ellie Weg later worked the low blocks for four of her eight points on the game and teammate Tarren Spartz hit a baseline 15-footer to whittle the Trojans’ deficit to 30-24 with only 20 seconds left before halftime.

Miller, however, snapped the nets on a left-wing 3-pointer off a Pendergast assist with 7 seconds to go to restore a nine-point lead for the Cardinals at intermission.

Ahead 35-26 in the second half, Pendergast drained a 3-pointer before Jazlyn Geerdes spotted Miller for a right-wing 2-pointer to serve as Fairmont’s catalyst behind an 11-0 run.

Geerdes converted Klanderud’s low-post entry pass into a turnaround leaner, Olivia Ortega weaved through traffic in the paint to hit a banker and Miller tossed in two free throws to widen Fairmont’s lead to 46-26 with 13 minutes remaining in regulation.

Rahm delivered six of her eight points during the final 6 minutes to keep the Trojans at arm’s length on the scoreboard.

Rahm finished with eight points, eight boards and three steals, while Olivia Ortega contributed six points, six rebounds and a team-best four assists to the Cardinals’ winning ways.

Weg tallied eight points and five rebounds for the Trojans, Tarren Spartz collected seven points and seven boards, while Phamananewyou Gora chipped in five points, a team-best eight rebounds and a game-high five assists.

Fairmont (7-4) plays host to Waseca on Friday night in another conference contest, while Worthington (2-10) hits the road to Marshall on Friday night.

Worthington     24-21–45

Fairmont           33-27–60

Worthington defeated Fairmont in B-squad action, 33-22, Tuesday night.

Kennedy Becker scored eight points to top the Cardinals.

Kayla Lowry netted a game-best 18 points to power Fairmont to a 45-29 win over Worthington during C-squad action Tuesday.

Kenzie Lowry and Audrina Suckow contributed eight points each to the Cardinals’ victory.

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North Union 62, Forest City 48 — Naomi Jones and Olivia Von Bank delivered a potent 1-2 statistical punch to power the Iowa Class 2A No. 11-ranked Warriors to a 14-point Top of Iowa Conference victory over the Indians on Tuesday night in Forest City.

Jones scored a game-best 21 points to complement four steals and three assists, while Von Bank generated 12 points, seven boards, four assists and three steals.

Olivia Merrill neared double-double territory by scoring nine points and garnering nine rebounds for North Union, while Libby Stevens tallied eight points and six boards.

Emily Meyer supplied six points and a game-best five steals, while Shelby Fraker tossed in six points for the Warriors, who made 18 of 30 shots from 2-point range for 60 percent.

North Union (11-2) travels to Eagle Grove on Thursday night.

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Martin County West 72, Mankato Loyola 38 — Emily Anderson dialed long distance three times to steer the Mavericks to a 34-point Valley Conference trouncing of the Crusaders on Tuesday night in Mankato.

Emily Anderson finished with a game-best 21 points, Kari Matejka delivered 14 points, and Thea Anderson contributed 13 points to MCW’s win.

The Mavericks built a 39-22 halftime advantage and never looked back.

Martin County West (6-6) plays host to Blue Earth Area on Thursday night in Trimont.

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Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial 70, Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther 30 — Olivia Harazin poured in a game-leading 26 points to power the Class 2A No. 4-ranked Knights to a 40-point Valley Conference victory over the Jaguars on Tuesday night in Lake Crystal.

Olivia Mattson netted 12 points to top the Jaguars, McKenna Benck supplied eight points, while Keira Benck chipped in three steals.

The Jaguars (8-4) travel to Alden on Thursday night to face Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons, while LCWM (13-1) travels to Trimont on Friday night to face Martin County West.